A Short Way through the History Of Tobacco

In The Beginning

Tobacco is a plant that grows natively in North and South America. It is in the same family as the potato, pepper and the poisonous nightshade, a very deadly plant.

The seed of a tobacco plant is very small. A 1 ounce sample contains about 300,000 seeds!

It is believed that Tobacco began growing in the Americas about 6,000 B.C.!

As early as 1 B.C., American Indians began using tobacco in many different ways, such as in religious and medicinal practices.

Tobacco was believed to be a cure-all, and was used to dress wounds, as well as a pain killer. Chewing tobacco was believed to relieve the pain of a toothache!

The New World Discovered

On October 15, 1492, Christopher Columbus was offered dried tobacco leaves as a gift from the American Indians that he encountered.

Soon after, sailors brought tobacco back to Europe, and the plant was being grown all over Europe.

The major reason for tobacco's growing popularity in Europe was its supposed healing properties. Europeans believed that tobacco could cure almost anything, from bad breath to cancer!

In 1571, A Spanish doctor named Nicolas Monardes wrote a book about the history of medicinal plants of the new world. In this he claimed that tobacco could cure 36 health problems.

In 1588, A Virginian named Thomas Harriet promoted smoking tobacco as a viable way to get one's daily dose of tobacco. Unfortunately, he died of nose cancer (because it was popular then to breathe the smoke out through the nose).

During the 1600's, tobacco was so popular that it was frequently used as money! Tobacco was literally "as good as gold!"

This was also a time when some of the dangerous effects of smoking tobacco were being realized by some individuals. In 1610 Sir Francis Bacon noted that trying to quit the bad habit was really hard!

In 1632, 12 years after the Mayflower arrived on Plymouth Rock, it was illegal to smoke publicly in Massachusetts! This had more to do with the moral beliefs of the day, than health concerns about smoking tobacco.

In 1760, Pierre Lorillard establishes a company in New York City to process tobacco, cigars, and snuff. Today, P. Lorillard is the oldest tobacco company in the U.S.

Tobacco: A Growth Industry

In 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, tobacco helped finance the revolution by serving as collateral for loans the Americans borrowed from France!

Over the years, more and more scientists begin to understand the chemicals in tobacco, as well as the dangerous health effects smoking produces.

In 1826, the pure form of nicotine is finally discovered. Soon after, scientists conclude that nicotine is a dangerous poison.

In 1836, New Englander Samuel Green stated that tobacco is an insecticide, a poison, and can kill a man. 

In 1847, the famous Phillip Morris is established, selling hand rolled Turkish cigarettes. Soon after in 1849, J.E. Liggett and Brother is established in St. Louis, Mo. (The company that has settled out of the big lawsuits recently).

Cigarettes became popular around this time when soldiers brought it back to England from the Russian and Turkish soldiers.

Cigarettes in the U.S. were mainly made from scraps left over after the production of other tobacco products, especially chewing tobacco. Chewing tobacco became quite popular at this time with the "cowboys" of the American west.

Health Hazards Revealed!

In 1964, the Surgeon General's report on "Smoking and Health" came out. This report assisted in allowing the government to regulate the advertisement and sales of cigarettes. The 1960's in general was a time when much of the health hazards of smoking were reported.

In 1965, television cigarette ads are taken off the air in Great Britain.

In 1966, those health warnings on cigarette packs begin popping up.

In 1968, Bravo, a non-tobacco cigarette brand was marketed. Made primarily of lettuce, it failed miserably!

Because of the negative press about tobacco, the major tobacco companies begin to diversify their products. Phillip Morris begins to buy into the Miller Brewing Company, makers of Miller Beer, Miller Lite, and Red Dog Beer. RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company drops the "Tobacco Company" in its name, and becomes RJ Reynolds Industries. It also begins to buy into other products, such as aluminum. American Tobacco Company also drops "Tobacco" from its name, becoming American Brands, Inc.

The Recent Past

During the 1980's there were many lawsuits filed against the tobacco industry because of the harmful effects of its products. Smoking becomes politically incorrect, with more public places forbidding smoking.

In 1982, the Surgeon General reports that second hand smoke may cause lung cancer. Smoking in public areas are soon restricted, especially at the workplace.

In 1985, lung cancer became the #1 killer of women, beating out breast cancer!

Phillip Morris continues to diversify into other products, buying into General Foods Corporation and Kraft Inc in 1985. R Reynolds, also diversifies, buying Nabisco (of Oreo fame) and becoming RJR/Nabisco.

In 1987, Congress bands smoking on all domestic flights lasting less than 2 hours. In 1990, Smoking is banned on all domestic flights, except to Alaska and Hawaii.

In 1990, Ben & Jerry's (of ice cream fame) boycotts RJR/Nabisco, and drops Oreos from its ice cream products.

During the 80's and 90's, the tobacco industry starts marketing heavily in areas outside the U.S., especially developing countries in Asia. Marlboro is considered the word's No. 1 most valuable brand of any product with a value over $30 billion! Over this period, there is a battle between Coca Cola and Marlboro as the No. 1 brand in the world!

In recent, years, there is growing evidence that the tobacco industry has known all along that cigarettes are harmful, but continued to market and sell them. There is also evidence that they knew that nicotine was addictive and exploited this hidden knowledge to get millions of people hooked on this dangerous habit! 

The Truth Is Out There!